While Cerdeauxia's leadership sat across polished tables with Barlia's envoy, weighing words as carefully as any general would weigh troops, the rest of the continent was anything but idle.
If anything, they were celebrating.
At first, many governments approached the matter cautiously and suspiciously. But it did not last long and was soon replaced by the desire to acquire them.
That was the conclusion reached, almost universally.
Like Cerdeauxia, many nations recognised the same opportunity.
And so they began to hoard.
Black markets transformed into something almost resembling open competition. Buyers no longer arrived quietly. They arrived prepared, backed by state funds, private fortunes, or both.
Crates vanished within hours of arrival, and deals were struck before goods even reached storage. The demand had become insatiable.
And where insatiable demand existed, profit followed.
